On the morning of September 4, 2024, near Warsaw, the Polish police conducted a forced search of Robert Bąkiewicz’s house at 6 a.m. His family, including his wife and four young children, witnessed the entire police action. The officers, in a gross violation of privacy and human rights, took his computer, phone, and all the data storage devices they could find.
You might be wondering why Robert Bąkiewicz was targeted. The surprising truth is that he did nothing wrong. He was neither accused nor suspected of any crime nor had the status of a witness. So why did the police, in a seemingly arbitrary and unjust manner, decide to search his home and confiscate his belongings?
The incident dates back six years. In 2018, an organization headed by Robert Bąkiewicz organized the Independence March to mark Poland’s 100th anniversary of regaining independence. The event, under the patronage of the Polish authorities and attended by the President, attracted over half a million participants. However, the search of Robert Bąkiewicz’s house relates to this event.
During the 2018 Independence March, a masked man threatened one of the participants, and his identity remains unknown to this day. The investigation was previously closed due to the lack of leads. However, after a change in government at the end of 2024, the prosecutor’s office illegally reopened the case. They ordered the police to seize all data from the association that organized the march without verifying whether such data existed.
Robert Bąkiewicz has been targeted for his patriotic activities, criticism of the government, and defense of Christianity. The current authorities see his recent actions as political revenge. The prosecutor’s office used the investigation as an excuse to target and gather information against Robert Bąkiewicz. This situation highlights the challenges facing democracy under the current Polish government.
